INDIANAPOLIS (March 22, 2024) — At the Indiana Statehouse Friday, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Don Lamb presented 59 farming families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

"These long-standing Hoosier farming families are the backbone of our state's rich agricultural history," said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "They have dedicated their lives to supporting our strong agricultural economy, and it was a pleasure to honor them today."

To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres. If less than 20 acres, the farm must produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. Indiana farms may qualify for three honors: Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of ownership.

Since the program's inception in 1976, over 6,100 families have received the Hoosier Homestead Award. Many past awardees can be identified by the sign proudly displayed in front of the family farm or field.

"The Indiana statehouse is a historic venue for hosting this historic ceremony," said Lamb. "Honoring over 50 farming families today was an unique look into Indiana's rich past, especially when celebrating two bicentennial awards. Thinking of how much agriculture, and our whole world, has changed in the last 200 years was an incredible thought and we are so thankful to these farming families for remaining committed to agriculture production." 

During the ceremonies, two Indiana farms received the Bicentennial Award for 200 years of continuous ownership: the Dorton family from Harrison county and the Coleman family from Parke county. 

Below is a list of the Hoosier Homestead Award recipients honored during the spring 2024 ceremony:

 

County

Award Name, Award Year, Award Type

Adams

Girod, 1865, Sesquicentennial

Allen

Kruse, 1872, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Bartholomew

David & Brenda Simmons, 1850, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Blackford

Twibell, 1870, Sesquicentennial

Cass

Ide, 1874, Sesquicentennial

Clark

Trainor, 1920, Centennial

Daviess

Ferguson, 1852, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Daviess

Flinn, 1893, Centennial

Daviess

Kavanaugh, 1894, Centennial

Dearborn

Andrews-Probst, 1916, Centennial

Dearborn

Gaynor, 1924, Centennial

Delaware

Felton, 1881, Centennial

Dubois

Feldmeyer - Holtzman, 1848, Sesquicentennial

Elkhart

Zollinger, 1899, Centennial

Floyd

Leonard C. Lemmel, 1918, Centennial

Franklin

Elmer & May Brack, 1919, Centennial

Franklin

Werner, 1923, Centennial

Fulton

Shewman, 1905, Centennial

Gibson

Spindler, 1924, Centennial

Grant

Dearduff, 1870, Sesquicentennial

Hancock

Troy, 1921, Centennial

Hancock

Gundrum-Long, 1906, Centennial

Harrison

Dorton, 1824, Bicentennial

Huntington

Kennedy, 1919, Centennial

Huntington

Bone-Ulrich-McPherson, 1912, Centennial

Jackson

Cummings, 1924, Centennial

Jackson

Durham, 1919, Centennial

Jackson

Koop/Otte/Rieker, 1867, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Jackson

Speaker/Otte/Rieker, 1886, Centennial

Jackson

Tatlock Farms, 1888, Centennial

Knox

Marchino, 1865, Sesquicentennial

Lake

Merritt G. Bailey, 1882, Centennial

LaPorte

Spence, 1868, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Madison

Moore-Rydman, 1890, Centennial

Madison

Drake, 1920, Centennial

Madison

McClintick-McClintock, 1898, Centennial

Miami

Peter/Fisher/John H. Balsbaugh/Raymond E. Musselman, 1837, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Miami

Peter/Fisher/John H. Balsbaugh/Raymond E. Musselman, 1873, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Montgomery

Richard S. & Sandra K. Clouser, 1848, Sesquicentennial

Montgomery

Gentry, 1918, Centennial

Morgan

Rhea, 1920, Centennial

Orange

McDonald, 1922, Centennial

Orange

McDonald, 1887, Centennial

Owen

Stahl-Williams, 1902, Centennial

Parke

Coleman, 1824, Bicentennial

Perry

Hagerdon, 1919, Centennial

Pike

Whitehead, 1869, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Ripley

Amy & Edward Rodriguez, 1852, Sesquicentennial

Rush

Halterman/Wallace/Mull, 1883, Centennial

Spencer

Hildenbrand, 1923, Centennial

St. Joseph

Berger, 1907, Centennial

St. Joseph

Besinger, 1873, Sesquicentennial

St. Joseph

Besinger, 1873, Sesquicentennial

Tippecanoe

Charles Dill, 1896, Centennial

Tippecanoe

Stan Thayer, 1850, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Tippecanoe

Charles & Theresa Shelby, 1835, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Vanderburgh

Herman Wortman, 1866, Centennial & Sesquicentennial

Wells

Ted B. & Valerie N. Markley, 1874, Sesquicentennial

Whitley

Keiser-Fenker, 1923, Centennial

To view photos from the Spring 2024 Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse, click here. All family photos will be available online by March 27, 2024. 

The 2024 Summer Hoosier Homestead Award Ceremony will take place on Aug. 14, 2024 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. 

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